Junction-box and switch.



F. A. CULv'EH.

)UNCTON BOX AND SWHCH.

APPLICATION FILED IAN, Ie, I9I2.

1,165,572 I Patented Deo. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FRED A. CULVER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

JUNCTION-BOX AND SWITCH.

'Application led January 16, 1912.

To ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRED A. CULvER, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester. in the county ot lVorcester and State et Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Junction-Box and Switch. ot which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a junction bo); or other connector 'lor general electrical pur poses, but is particularly adapted tor junction boxes for use on automobiles and in similar places where a battery or other source of power is designed to operate a number et diderent lights and other electrical devices all or a portion et' which may be on at the saine time.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a simple and inexpensive construction of junction box ior this purpose in particular and other electrical purposes in general which will present a neat and attractive appearance and take up very little room and will permit the location of any desired number of switches in proximity to each other and by which they can be so arranged that all the connections can be made at substantially a single point.

The invention also involves au improved switch arrangement whereby in order to turn the switches it will be necessary iior the operator to press the switch turning device out of its locked position against spring pressure and then turn it so that it can be auton'iatically sprung into locked posit-ion, no matter whether it is being turned on or oil".

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a iront elevation of a unetion box constructed in accordance with this inu vention, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2, is a plan ot the insulating plate of the junction box with the switches and box proper ren'ioved. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a similar nature. F ig. fl; is a rear elevation. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 ot' Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line (3 6 of' Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a plan of a pair of switch knobs; Fig. S is a bottom plan ot' a pair ot` switch knobs removed trom the rest of the apparatus. Fig. S) is a central sectional view ot' the switch in moditied form, Fig. l() is an elevation ot another ferm, Fig. 11 is a. sectional fiew on the line Specification of Letters Patent.

11.-11 of Fiff 9' Serial No. 671,441.

g. and Fig. 12 is a sectional view on the line lil-12 of Fig. Q.

As has been stated, the invention is capable ot' general use. A special form Ais illustrated herein particularly adapted for use on automobiles and designed speciallyI to be applied to the dash thereof. This form is shown as comprising a casing or box 10 adapted to be placed on the dash and having therein an insulating plate 11 formed of vulcanized liber r other insulating material. This plate is provided with two bus bars 12 and 13 on one face thereof. These bus bars ordinarily are on the back face. Extending into, and preferably through the plate, are a plurality et' tubular conductors 1st or 14A preferably formed oit brass or similar conducting material. These arranged in a plane parallel with the plane of 'the bus bars and extend from the top to the bottom of the insulating plate. The bottoms or" these tubes are open to receive the various contacting terminalsl trom the several electrical devices which are to he connected. Located parallel with these conductors, and betweenv them and the bus bars, are another series of conductors 15 of somewhat similar form, open at the bottom for the same purpose. Each o't the conductors 15 is adjacent and parallel to one ot the conductors 14 or 14 but there are not so many of them, preferably. ln each case where a pair of conductors are located a binding screw 16 is inserted from the front oi" the plate 11 through the Jfront conductor 14; and into the interior of the rear conductor 15 topermit binding the terminal of a conductor as* shown in F ig. The conductors 14 are provided with shorter binding screws 1T for the latter purpose. It is to be observed that the screws 1S connect the two conductors 14 and 15. On the rear the bus bars are c0nnected to thevdesired conductors 15 by binding screws 18 and 18a. All these screws that connect with the bus bar 12 are designated 18a and those that connect with the bus bar 13 are called 1S, no mattei' what their length.

As so tar described the conductors 14 and It are all alike but from reference to Figs.,

Patented Dec. 28,1915. v

' .which is conneel;

lubuler cnnducliors lil-r shown. in Fig.

. werd motion o' the plunger.V These plungers 952 are arranged in pairs, those of eaeii pe being designed Eo be eonneeted ifor the prrr pose of operatively eonnec'ing seine one of 'lie electrical devieee Wirth the ba'lgery or other source oi power.

The bei: i@ is provided with e, plureii'e'y of *lop pieles 25 each one heffing; e casing 2C eidoendingB doWnn/e diy ilierefrom.r liie easing' being preferably ei" eylindrieal forni. in ea'cli casing is located :i Slidiible and ne eiiletable Cylindrical insnieting block having a conductor Shown ne O' U-eliepe. To erich block is l'ixed e knob 523 on che end having an arrow 29 thereon und the pluie 2,53 is 'providedwith signs words ifi-indicate 'Where 'the arrow is to @nini when alie Con-- neetion is on or off. Ey 'burning llie'lrnob it is obvious tlie the ee Znefwr 2@ een. be brough ini-o position. en eonnee nr dienen-- neel; the two giungere...

The easing 26 is provided wiili e eireamm ferential'sln; 30 lin/ving e eieioneei et mieli end it righi angles to il', and the bioek .is provided with e pin. 32 nder/ized. 'lo be guided in said. eioli. When lie nin @einen opposite one oi the eiaf'lzeneinns lie springe on lie plungere oree xthe bloei; un, and canse `pin to be locked in alle edeneion so felini. impossible to change @lie cnnnection Without pressing on ille knob. in. other worde, the change in Connection is inadeby pressing/j down. on lle knob and uiining it as far as ii: will go and then allowii it io lock ieel.

it is to be observed ibm: iie two balserjr terniineis B are connected with two ni 'the tubes 11i-8' Wliieii extend 'through elle pieie lll. Boh of lliese nubes i4@ lieve plunger@ 22', one adepled te'eonteet with one Condimtor 28 sind be other with enolglier. @ne @if liese Lubes is eonneeied by eere'w i8 wieli the bus bei i3 and @Elie oiier by ii Sarei. wien @the bue bei" 12 es indient-ed in and il. nwo one bere conslgilnute the two poles oi belaibery. @ne pair nii' head iight erinin. S are PenneeiedA W al by e, Screw i6 with. e lube y'ii'zli ai lgube ifi?. The oilier pair ni herd lie l; lzeiiniineie is eonnee'ned eneciivelja7 "c" "siro 'tubes 14 sind le?. This pnrlnieul" lil wliieli is connected with e eonnecibed n'ili 'die bue bei "le screws, m nube le M ind ille einer "ed Wili einher bus :lie piunger eonducber 28 find nl; lbe other side 'it nnning of limi knob 28a. will. connect and discon eci ilie head lights with the battery. The eide .liglms are Similarly connected, one 'pole beine; connected direely 'with tbe bus bar if?J 'l .lxe olier only Willi one of ille piling( connected with die Second knob.. The 'bail liggln is also (.lireetly eonneeted at @ne eide Wilili the bue bei' 135 by :i screw 18 li the plunger under Elie third knob, while the horn is di- ,I eonneced @irene eide with the bus bar on elle other with one plunger 22 under the 1nli knob. Each one of the other piun E22 o these pairs is connected d ily li the bus bnr which is connected wrm lie other Jpole of be bend. eide. tail .light and horn respectively so that the turn-- ing of liese ionr knobs wili turn these sev eral ii lie and lxorns on or oil'. @n the other band elle lininneine and 'the dash are Shown having' their faire 'terminals connected directly Wil elle two bus bare i2 :ind 13, b v Wo Soren b3 and 18T* and consequently they ere always on, iii being undersood that :i Swilgeli is Used nn the dash or in. any eonvenien position :For controlling perle direcly.

'lille forni Slion'nin Fig. i? the onlyv nioiiii faiion consists in enbetiluinp; for the provides for bringing all the connections to a eine e peine and provides a very simple of'ziy oi Changing lie terminals Whenever fleeii'ed.

le, willA be seen also limi; the way of turning elle electrical devices on zuid nii7 is: eggtreinely simple and one which ie not likely izo gein one of order, ne die eontzieting terminals rnb again-elf, each nher on every motion.

il; will be further that the deviceA While perienlerly ad: l for application ille desliii en autoinnbile, is also Capable of general use eiilier in die form shown or in any modiiirniion thereof coming Within the skill ni: libe skilled mechanic. Therefore do not wisli 'to be lirnied io all the details l l nclgion shown and described herein Lf in elle pm eielilfir epplieaiion referred fao do elein ist- Il. is en Lii e of nmnninclure1 :i junclien bei; comp insulating plate bus be j onnne side liereoi and l li. end linee in piene mg a wire in each ot the tubes, and means y for connecting the second set of tubes with the bus bars.

2. As an article oi manufacture, a pinction box comprising an insulating platehaving bus bars on one side thereof and provided with conducting tubes extending therethrough transversely but in a plane parallel with the plane ot the bus harsv` a second svt ofl tubes parallel with the first set and each arranged adjacent to one of the first set and between the latter and the bus bars, means extending from one side of the plate through one tube ot' thv first set into a tube of the second set l'or clamping a wire in said tube of the second set. means supl'iorted by the plate for clamping a wire in cach of the tubes ofl the first svt, and means 'for connecting the second set of tubes with the bus bars.

3. ln a junction box the combination of an insulating plate, bus bars along one sur'- tace thereof'` a set of' conducting tubes passing into said plate, means for clamping wires in the end of' each ot said tubes, asecond set ot tubes each located between onel ot' the first named tubes and the bus bars, means for clamping wires in the secvand the bus bars, a set ot' screws extending into certain of the first set of tubes from the side of the plate opposite the bus bars for holding wires therein, a Second set of screws extending through said tubes into the other set of tubes for holding the wires in them and connecting the two tubes together, and other screws on the opposite side ot' the plate for connecting certain ot' said tubes of the second series with the bus bars.

In a junction box, the combination of an insulatingr plate, bus bars along one surlace thereof', a set ot' conducting tubes passing through said plate parallel with the plane ot the bus bars. means for clamping wires in the end ot xach of said tubes, a second set ot tubes each located between one ot the first named tubes and the bus bars, means tor clamping wires in the second set of' tubes, means f'or connecting each of the second tubes with one bf'\ ,the bus bars. certain of' said tubes ot the first set heilig provided with a partition thereacross, a spring on the side ot' the partition opposite the binding screw, a plunger at the end of each sprine'. a easing located in position to span a pair oiI said plungers and having a conductor therein adapted to engage said plunger-s and bridge them, and means for moving said conductor.

In a junction box. the combination with an insulating` plate having bus bars on one side, a series ot' binding screws along one edge t'or electrical terminals, a plurality of spring-pressed plungers along the front edge, means for connecting said plungers with said terminals, and a pluraL ity ot' casings each covering a pair of said plungers and provided with a conductor for connecting the plungers which it covers, said conductor being rotatable on an axis between the plungers and parallel therewith, whereby it can be turned into and out of contact with the plungers.

In testimony whereof I Ihave hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED A. CULYER. Witnesses:

ALBERT E. FAY, C. Foinncs'r lVnssoN. 

